The Oscars Are Exiting ABC and Stream on the Video Platform Starting in 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin streaming exclusively on the global video platform in 2029, signaling the latest major transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on Wednesday, indicating that it finalized a multi-year deal granting YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for March 15th, has aired for five decades on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the ceremony will be available live and for free on the digital platform.
This is a further major restructuring in Hollywood, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with drastic reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this alliance will enable us to broaden reach to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience imaginable - which will be advantageous for our Academy members and the movie industry," stated Academy leadership in a announcement.
Throughout a long period, audience numbers of the ceremony have fallen, although there was a small rise in 2025, with a significant number of younger viewers tuning in from mobile devices and laptops.
In a separate statement, YouTube's CEO referred to the Oscars "a key fundamental cultural touchstones" and said that partnering with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of artistic expression and film lovers while remaining faithful to the Oscars' storied legacy".
The broadcast network, which has streamed the ceremony since 1976, commented that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will retain rights for.
The move comes as large entertainment companies deal with intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were viewed as problematic for an sector that has experienced drastic cuts over the past several years.
In common with big production houses, traditional TV channels have struggled as the audience has increasingly opted for streaming services instead.
YouTube obtaining rights to the Oscars further suggests that the dominance of digital platforms will persist to grow.
